Summary: Percy makes Annabeth a very special gift for Valentine's Day. (Sounds like smut omg? it's not)
Disclaimer: I do not claim any rights to the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series or the Heroes of Olympus series.
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I woke up to the sound of silence. Pure bliss. I took a cleansing breath and rolled over in my bed, looking at my alarm clock. It was already ten in the morning. I groaned, feeling tired to the bone. The campfire had run late last night, and it didn't help that Malcolm and I had raced back to our cabin.
At least I didn't have training today. I got up from bed, making a beeline for the bathroom so I could shower. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard a shrill voice screech, "Happy Valentine's Day!"
I turned to see the whole Aphrodite cabin outside, all holding goody bags with valentines in them. I sighed and walked over to them. They thrust out a box that said "Athena's Cabin" in bold letters.
"Oh, and Annabeth?" I heard a voice ask as I put the box down on a table.
"Yes?"
"There's a little something special for you in there," Silena Beauregard said with a wink. I smiled and said my thanks, resuming my previous task of showering. I lost myself in the scalding water and probably stayed in the shower for a good twenty minutes. After I exited, fully dressed, I saw everyone in my cabin awake and smiling, reading all of the valentines they had gotten.
You see, Chiron had this bright idea that we should make valentines for all the campers. Everyone had at least twenty valentines each, since it was only the year rounders here. I was still impatient for summer to roll around so I could finally see Percy again. Even Iris-messaging every day couldn't fill the hole in my heart for missing my best friend.
I rolled my eyes, slightly annoyed that he was only my best friend. Could the kid not catch a hint? Even the Ares' kids knew I was in love with him, and they are the most clueless about love.
"Annabeth," my brother Malcolm called out. I turned. He held out a cardboard box for me and my bag of valentines. The box had a shipping sticker on it, but it had no return address. I shot him a questioning look, but he shrugged. "I have no clue what's in it."
"I'm guessing this is the 'something special' Silena was referring to," I mumbled to myself as I walked back to my bunk.
I sat down, deciding to open the box last. I went through all my valentines, some having heartfelt messages from my closer friends, but most enclosing a simple "Happy Valentine's Day!"
I pulled out a Blow Pop from the goody bag and unwrapped it. We were at camp, so candy was rarely seen. I popped it into my mouth unsheathed my knife to open the box. After I cut it open, I frowned at the contents. There was a card at the top, and underneath it was something wrapped in tissue paper.
I picked up the card and opened it.
Hey Wise Girl! I figured, since this is our sixth year of being best friends, that I would send you something special for Valentine's Day, especially since I'm not there to make your day amazing. Hopefully, this gift will. IM me when you've seen all of it.
- Seaweed Brain
I smiled at his word. He's so full of himself. I put down the card and picked up the object carefully wrapped in tissue paper as though it were a loaded gun. You never know with Percy.
I unwrapped it slowly, only to reveal a deck of cards, bound by two silver rings, resembling a book. On the first card, it read "52 REASONS".
I probably made a weird facial expression. How vague. 52 reasons for what? I sighed and flipped the small booklet of cards.
1: You call me Seaweed Brain.
2: You let me call you Wise Girl.
3: You have a gorgeous smile.
I blushed at that one, but I turned the page nonetheless, wondering where he was going with this.
4: Your hair is beautiful. Especially when it's messy.
5: Your eyes never fail to shock me, even after six years.
6: You can beat my ass at sparring.
I laughed, despite the blush that covered my face.
7: You make me laugh.
8: You punch me when I'm stupid.
9: You wear a t-shirt and shorts all the time.
I found that one odd. Sort of random and out there. I shrugged, still wondering what this book was about.
10: You have a cute nose.
I think I choked because every set of eyes in the cabin turned to me. I told them I was okay and went back to reading.
11: You helped me find Zeus' bolt. Even though you were annoying along the way.
I rolled my eyes, but I smiled at the memory.
12: You always plan ahead.
13: Your face lights up when you talk about architecture.
14: You never get mad at me, even though you know I can't understand a word you say.
15: You complete my sentences. Which gets creepy sometimes.
16: Your legs go on forever.
Okay, I'll admit that I choked up again. He was staring at my legs? I was about ready to toss the book across the room. I was blushing up a storm and my whole body felt warm. My toes were tingling and I kept getting butterflies. I sighed and turned to the next card.
17: Your laugh is like a melodious song.
He so looked that up on the internet.
18: You know for a fact that I looked that up.
I smiled and laughed softly. He knew me too well.
19: You don't like Hera either.
He's right about that.
20: You don't let the fact that your mother hates me get in the way of us.
I raised an eyebrow, wondering why he meant by us. He surely meant 'best friend' us.
21: You constantly keep me on my toes.
22: You never notice how much I stare at you.
What? I didn't know he even gave me second glances.
23: You kiss me when you think I'm about to die.
I gasped a little, honestly surprised that he remembered. When he had gotten back, he never mentioned it, so I just assumed that meant he didn't care for it, or he had gotten a concussion and didn't remember.
24: You never gave up on me. Not once.
25: You like blue food.
26: The look on your face when you're determined.
27: Your voice, even more so when you're half awake.
28: You smirk at me, and have no clue what it does to me.
"Care to elaborate?" I muttered. "Just what does it do to you?" I asked out loud, a little irritated that this made no sense.
29: The first words you told me were, "You drool in your sleep."
I frowned. Had I really said that? More importantly, why did he remember?
30: You wake me up every day at camp. And I'm glad it's you every time.
I smiled. Well, that was sweet.
31: You're smart.
32: You always say, "Athena always has a plan."
33: You eat the whites of your sunny-side up eggs first, then the yolk.
My eyebrows shot up into my hairline. How did he know all this crap?
34: My heart skips a beat every time I see you.
I read it again. Then I shut my eyes tight, and opened them, only to find the same words staring at me. I glanced at the card. No way did Percy make this.
35: You were the one thing I remembered when I swam in the River Styx. You kept me mortal.
36: Your confidence.
37: You walk away, knowing that I'll follow you.
38: We can't stay mad at each other for more than a day.
I sighed. Then I flipped back to 35. I was his mortal tie to the world? I never knew.
39: You correct me. And no matter how much I tell you it annoys me, it doesn't.
40: You yell at me.
41: You don't let the fact that I'm awesome go to my head.
I rolled my eyes. As if he needed a bigger ego? Of course I kept things from making his head get so big it popped.
42: You saved me from being a guinea pig for the rest of my life.
I snorted in laughter, earning another odd look from my cabinmates. Once again, I waved them off.
43: You got jealous over Rachel.
I frowned. What a jerk.
44: You look adorable when you're jealous.
Fine. So he made up for 43 with 44.
45: You don't care about what anyone thinks of you.
Lies! I care about what he thinks. I just pretend I don't.
46: You've been on just about every quest with me.
47: You love my mom. And she loves you too.
48: You'll never know how freaked out I was when I thought you were going to join the Hunters.
49: You have no clue how amazingly gorgeous you are.
I felt my cheeks redden even more and I bit back a smile.
50: You don't have a clue how crazy you make me.
51: You'll probably never notice how much I like you.
My Blow Pop fell from my mouth as I gaped at the card. I picked it up and tossed it in the trash, my hands sweaty as I read the last 'reason'.
52: You'll definitely never figure out that I am hopelessly and desperately in love with you.
As I read the last reason, I literally fell off the bed and started choking loudly. He loved me? I mean, I knew I loved him. But he, Percy Jackson – son of Poseidon, Hero of Olympus, and most gorgeous guy to walk the earth – loved me too?
"Are you okay?" Malcolm asked me, concerned. I nodded and ran into the bathroom, tossing the book on my bed and taking deep breaths. I looked in the mirror, seeing my positively frazzled face. I was blood red. I splashed some water on my face. He loved me? I drank some water from my hands to quench the thirst of my dry throat.
I heard laughter from inside the cabin and I peeked out the door. Malcolm was holding the booklet gingerly, smiling. It wasn't opened yet, thank the gods.
I dashed forward and snatched it from him, grabbing Percy's card and a drachma from my drawer. I jogged out of the cabin as quick as I could. I got a few odd looks and a few "Happy Valentine's Days" as I entered Percy's cabin. I sank down, my back sliding down his door. I heard the trickling of water and walked slowly over to the fountain. I sat calmly on his bed. I flipped through the book again, looking at all of the words one last time, trying to assure myself it was all real. I stopped at the last page and read it again and again. As I closed the book, I realized there was something on the back.
"Fifty-two reasons why I love you," I read out loud. Suddenly, I wished I would've read the back first.
I reread the book again with my newfound information, still blushing brighter than ever. I looked at his card and remembered that he wanted me to IM him.
I took a few deep breaths, attempted not to look so flustered and tossed a drachma into the mist before I could stop myself.
"Percy Jackson, upstate New York, East one-hundred and fourth and First," I stated automatically. I fidgeted and waited for what felt like an hour.
Finally, he appeared on the screen. He was dead asleep, snoring and drooling like there was no tomorrow.
"Percy," I said.
"Hm? A few more minutes mom," he said sleepily.
I rolled my eyes. "Percy," I said a bit more warningly.
"Having a good dream. Go away," he mumbled.
I bit my lip to stop my laughter. "What about?" I asked.
"The same as always. Annabeth. Now go away," Percy groaned. My jaw about hit the floor, and I felt my pulse quicken.
"You dream about me?" I blurted.
"No, mom. I dream about Annabeth…" he trailed off, then bolted up in bed suddenly. I blushed when I saw his shirtless form. "Oh, gods," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose and falling back hard on his bed. "Well, that's embarrassing."
I laughed and he turned to me and smiled. After staring at me for a few silent seconds, he cut into the quiet. "Hey," he said softly.
"Hi," I replied. "And Happy Valentine's Day."
Percy grinned at me. "Same for you." He sat up again, causing me to blush for the billionth time that day. Percy leaned against his wall, still wrapped up in sheets. "Um…" he paused, seemingly not knowing what to say. "Did you…?" he looked up at me and I saw the pink that tinted his cheeks.
I laughed lightly and nodded. He turned tomato red. "Oh. Um, okay," he said awkwardly.
"You drool in your sleep," I told him. He tipped his head back and laughed at the memory.
"You drive me crazy," he said under his breath.
I blushed. "I know," I said. "I did actually read the present, you know."
He cleared his throat. "Did you… like it?" Percy asked, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck, his nervous gesture.
"I loved it," I said quietly. "And, um, well…" I wanted to tell him that I loved him too, but I couldn't seem to say it. My throat was really dry.
"I get if you don't feel the same way," he said, smiling at me. I could see the disappointment in his eyes. "I mean, I know there's so many other guys that like you–"
I laughed and he frowned. "What?" he asked.
"And there's not girls that like you?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow.
He gave me a once over, calculating. "I'm not sure. Is there?"
I pretended to think for a second. "I take it back," I said, hating how much his face fell. "But I do know of one who has loved you for a long time," I said lightly, before I could stop the words.
Percy's head snapped up. "Wha… Repeat?" he said.
I chuckled. "I know of a girl who's loved you pretty much forever," I stated, now more comfortable with saying it.
He narrowed his eyes at me, a smile playing at his lips. "And who might that be?"
I shrugged. "Well, apparently, she has a cute nose, legs that go on for-ever, and a gorgeous smile." I exaggerated the word forever and smiled at him.
Percy beamed at me. "Well, she does," he stated simply. I smiled back. "So… you really love me? Like, really?" Percy asked, sounding very surprised.
"Oh my gods, you are the most clueless guy. Should I wear a sign around my neck in big, bright red marker that says 'I'm in love with Percy Jackson'?" I asked him sarcastically.
"Excuse me a moment," he said, gesturing for me to close my eyes. I did. "Hell-friggin-yes!" I heard him yell. I laughed and I heard him bouncing on his bed.
"Language!" I heard a woman's voice yell.
I opened my eyes to see Percy, now clothed in a shirt and boxers, dashing to the door. He leaned out. "Mom!" he yelled.
"Yes dear?" Mrs. Sally asked.
"She loves me too!" he shouted, bouncing on the heels of his feet.
"That's great, Percy!" I heard her call back, excited.
I laughed and Percy turned back to me. "I really wish this wasn't an Iris-message," he stated with a smirk.
"Why?" I asked innocently, though I'm pretty sure I knew the answer.
Percy sent me a warm smile that made me tingle to my toes. It roused butterflies in my stomach and more likely than not made me blush. "Because I really, really, really would love to kiss you," he said, not missing a beat.
"Too bad we'll have to wait until summer," I said, slightly disappointed.
"Summer my ass! I'm so going there now! I can drive!" Percy said, pulling on jeans. I laughed as Mrs. Sally called for him to watch his language again. He rolled his eyes. "Mom!" he yelled.
"Yes?"
"I'm going to camp!" he announced.
"Percy…" she said.
"Mom, you really can't tell me no. The girl I've been in love with for five of the six years we've been best friends told me she loves me back." He turned to me with a smirk full of love. "I'm going to see her."
"Oh, all right," his mother said, giving in. "It isn't a school night anyways. You better get going."
He bounced up and down, once again looking like a child. "See you soon?" I asked.
"Duh!" he practically yelled in excitement.
I laughed and he smiled at me. "Love you?" he said, though it sounded like a question.
"Well I hope you do, 'cause I sure love you," I said sarcastically, though I meant every word.
"Yeah," he said, smiling at me one last time before he exited. "I definitely love you."
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FIN
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